Advantages & Disadvantages of Laser Spine Surgery

The costs and benefits of any new surgical innovation must be carefully weighed to determine whether it is an appropriate avenue for your condition. While surgery is a last resort for many back conditions according to information from the Mayo Clinic, where it becomes a necessity there are two major alternatives to consider: "conventional" surgery and less-invasive laser back surgery.

Advantage: Less Need for Anesthetic

• Laser surgery is a less invasive process than traditional back surgery. Whereas traditional back surgery requires the application of a general anesthetic, laser back surgery only requires a general anesthetic. This means that the risk of complications from the use of anesthetic is markedly decreased, decreasing the likelihood of an incident during the operation.

Advantage: Minimally Invasive

• Laser surgery is less invasive than conventional surgical procedures, and is often performed on an outpatient basis. Fewer incisions means that you can experience a reduced recovery time with less pain after the surgery itself, improving your overall quality of life surrounding the procedure itself.

Disadvantage: Cost

• As a newer procedure involving more expensive equipment, laser spine surgery will naturally have a higher price tag than conventional operating procedures. Depending on your insurance coverage level (or if you are uninsured), this can make or break the viability of the operation, making it a major disadvantage until laser spine surgery becomes a more widely used method of treatment.

Disadvantage: Prognosis

• Although laser spine surgery can improve the patient experience regarding the surgery itself, the process is no more effective than conventional surgical procedures at curing back pain. Therefore, it is more difficult to justify the additional cost, as the only real benefits are in elements ancillary to the goal of the surgery itself.